Improved trunk brace and hinge



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

IMPROVED TRUNK BRACE AND HINGE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,720, dated July 31, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, J. J. COWELL, of Chicago,

` in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Brace and Hinge for Trunks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

In the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, A and B represelt the two portions of' a hinge, which are constructed in the ordinary way, with the exception that the metal at the center of each piece is cut away from near one end, leaving each piece with a long slot in it, as shown in Fig. 3.

The parts of this hinge may be made either of cast metal, or they may be stamped from sheet metal.

Grooves, as seen from a to a, Fig. 3, are formed upon each wing of the piece B.

C represen ts a metallic bar, which is provided with short journals upon each side near its ends, as seen at .r x, Fig. 1. `This'bar lies in the slot or opening between the two parts of the .hinge just described. The lugs or short journals on one end of the bar C t in proper boxes or openings made to receive them near the end of the slot of piece A. The lugs on the other end of the bar rest and slide in the grooves or ways from a to a in the piece B.

Metallic plates are secured on the backs of each of the pieces A and B, in order to 'hold the bar C in proper position. These plates confine the lugs in their bed in one piece and in the grooves or ways in the other.

In using this 1Grace and hinge the part A is secured to the trunk-lid and the part B to the body ot' the trunk. When the trunk-lid 'is shut down the bar C lies snugly in the slot between the two parts, with its upper side on a level with the top oi' the hinge, so that it will be free from danger of being struck or broken or bent or dam aged in any way. When the trunklid is raised the brace stands in the position shown in Fig. 2, with its end which is held in piece B striking against the metal of said piece at the back of the slot, thus stationing the lid and preventing its falling backward. The lugs which t in the ways or grooves ot a of course slide backward and forward in said ways or grooves as the lid of the trunkis operated, while the lugs upon the other end of bar C only turn in their bed in piece A, lout do not move out of it.

This hinge may be used for other purposes than a trunk-hinge.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- The hinge composed of the parts A and B, constructed substantially as specified, when used in combination with the bar C, the parts operating as and for the purpose set forth.

i JOHN J. COWELL. Witnesses: J. M. MASON, C. M. ALEXANDER. 

